The Pittsburgh Steelers will again start two rookie offensive linemen Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals in second-round center Zach Frazier and fourth-round guard Mason McCormick. Had it not been for injury, they’re probably starting three. First-rounder Troy Fautanu was poised to run with the starting right tackle job this season before a dislocated kneecap ended his regular season and likely his entire rookie year even if Pittsburgh makes a playoff run. Despite the setback, McCormick is counting on Fautanu to do big things once healthy.
“Troy’s coming back next year. He’s working super hard to get back,” McCormick said while appearing on Christian Kuntz’s podcast. “He’s gonna be a phenomenal player come next year.”
Pittsburgh was elated to land Fautanu with the 20th pick of this year’s draft. Viewed as a potential top-10 selection, a lack of ideal tackle size and a strong quarterback class slid him down draft boards and into the Steelers’ lap. Despite shifting him from left to right tackle, Pittsburgh planned to play Fautanu sooner than later, showing a high degree of confidence in a rookie.
But Fautanu’s season never gained traction. In his preseason debut, he suffered an MCL sprain that knocked him out for the rest of training camp. Medically cleared for Week 1, he served as a backup before getting the chance to start Week 2 against the Denver Broncos. A terrible showing by Broderick Jones gave Fautanu most of the reps and he held his own. Poised to become the full-time tackle in Week 3, he dislocated his kneecap in a freak moment during practice, ending the rest of his season.
Similar to the injury OG David DeCastro suffered his rookie year, Fautanu could theoretically get healthy come mid-January. But given all the time he’s missed, the odds of him becoming the starter again this season seem low.
Still, McCormick said Fautanu is aggressively attacking his rehab.
“He’s doing a really good job.”
In early November, offensive line coach Pat Meyer offered a similar take.
“He’s driven to get back and doing that,” Meyer said. “In terms of just seeing how he handled himself on and off the field and his work ethic”.
Fautanu will be behind his fellow rookie linemen come 2025. But given his seniority coming out of college and how high the Steelers were on him every step of the way until his latest injury, he should catch on quick next season. With Dan Moore Jr. set to be a free agent, Fautanu will almost certainly slide back in as the team’s starting right tackle, shifting Broderick Jones over to the blind side.
